Real stories · Room to move

Slim trousers pulled tight over my knees on every stair — these give me room to move

Smart trousers I can climb the stairs, get into the car and bend down in — without a single tug. I'm 67, and my slim-leg trousers had become a daily nuisance: tight across the knees on every stair, pulling when I got into the car, and every bend down to the dog done with one hand hitching up the fabric. I'd started choosing my outfits by how much I'd have to move.

What I wanted was a smart pair of trousers that gave my knees some room.

Then I found the Marlowe from a British label called York Boutique — high-rise trousers with an elegant wide leg and a pressed crease. I chose the black; there are seven other colours.

The wide, flowing legs are cut for easy movement, which is why nothing pulls tight across my knees when I climb the stairs, crouch down or swing my legs into the car. And they still look properly tailored — the high waist and the long pressed crease make them smart enough for a lunch out or church.

Wide, flowing legs cut for easy movement — which is why I go up the stairs, into the car and down to the dog without a single tug.

At £34.95 — half the usual £70 — they had earned their keep within a fortnight.

They've done a week of stairs, two trips in the car to my sister Joan's and more crouching down to Winnie than I could count, and my daughter said I 'move like I've lost ten years', which I'll happily take. I did check before ordering that I could send them back if they didn't fit — you can, within a fortnight, and the delivery's free.

If your trousers also fight you on the stairs, do have a look. The Marlowe is rated 4.7 out of 5 by more than 300 women, it comes in eight colours, in UK sizes 8/10 to 18/20 — and the black goes first.